The 59-year-old former Royal Malaysian Navy warrant officer now runs a business producing limited-edition watches, many of them designed for uniformed services and related organisations across the country.
It began when the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, presented him with a Submarine-brand watch after five years of service as the king’s escort from 2006 to 2011.
The gift sparked a lasting interest in timepieces, particularly rare and limited-edition designs. “But they were not easy to get – so, I decided to make my own,” Jeffri said at his shop in Parit Raja, Johor.
After retiring from the navy in 2011, he opened his watch shop in 2016, initially selling various brands.
A year later, he became Malaysia’s sole distributor for the US-based brand Submarine Professional Time – a turning point that allowed him to start customising watches into limited editions.
His first design in 2017 involved modifying the watch face and strap. The end product quickly garnered interest among fellow veterans and serving personnel.
Jeffri has since produced more than 30,000 customised watches, with each edition typically limited to around 500 units.
Orders have come from across Malaysia’s uniformed services, including the navy, air force, army, police, and fire and rescue department.
He has also worked with organisations such as Felda Global Ventures, the Malaysian Battalion, and the Naval Special Warfare Force, with some orders coming from Singapore.
Many of his designs feature camouflage elements or insignia tailored to each organisation, giving the watches a strong sense of identity.
Among his notable commissions was a limited-edition Submarine TP1328 model ordered by former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, featuring the Malaysian Army’s digital camouflage pattern.
Jeffri has also produced a special piece bearing the official monogram of the current king, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
His clientele extends beyond institutions to include figures such as Johor Darul Ta’zim footballers Safiq Rahim and Bergson da Silva.
For Jeffri, the business is built on both craftsmanship and connection, each piece reflecting the identity of those who wear it.
Challenges along the way have not slowed him down; if anything, they have strengthened his resolve to keep creating pieces that carry meaning beyond telling time.